Method of and apparatus for testing jelly.



No. 882,731. A A PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908.

J. ALEXANDER. A. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TESTING JELLY.

APPLICATION FILED MAY5, 1906.

"FIGl.

UNITED sTA s PATENT oEEIoE.

JEROME ALEXANDER, OF NEW YORK, N.. Y.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TESTING JELLY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed m 5, 1906. Serial No. 315,410.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEROME ALEXANDER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county,

of glue, and has for its object the provision of a suitable apparatusfor ascertaining the degree of resistance to change of form or thestrength of jellies in such a manner that the varying degrees may beaccurately known and measured and the resultsrof the tests can betabulated according to a definite standard.

My improved apparatus consists essentially of means for measuring theamount of compression of a block of jelly wholly or partially free fromrestraining walls, provision being made for making these measurementsaccording to'a fixed standard.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1, is a plan view of an embodiment ofmy device which I have employed in actual practice with verysatisfactory results. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the ap aratustaken along the line X X of Fig. 1, il ustrating the mode of operationof the device. Fig. 3 is a cross section of a block of jelly inclosed inits mold. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of this mold with the bottomremoved. 4

In Fi s. 1 and 2, 1, 2, 3 and 4 are upri ht standards or rods of metalor other suita le material, preferably arranged to form the four cornersof a square. These uprights are mounted u on a suitable base such as thewood pane shown. 5 is a cylindrical vessel with a closed bottom and anopen top arranged to slide vertically upon the uprights 1, 2, 3 and 4.The bearings between this vessel 5 and the uprights should be made asnearly frictionless as possible,

and to accomplish this result I provide roller bearing 6, 7, 8 and 9.The vessel 5 is constructed of some metal which is a conductor ofelectricity for the reasons which will appear hereafter. Suitably placedbeneath the edges of the vessel 5 are two vertically which are connectedin an open electric circuit. I place upon one end of the panel 2 bindingposts 12 and 13 which are adapted to be connected to the terminals ofbattery or any convenient source of suitable electric current. Thebinding post 13 is connected directly to the upright 11, while thebinding post 12 is connected to one terminal of an electric bell-14 orother suitable indicating device. The other terminal of the electricbell is connected to the upright 10. The

Patented March 24, 1908.

adjustable u'prights 10 and 11, the bases of circuit containing the bellis therefore open between 10 and 11 and is not closed until the vessel 5makes contact with these uprights and completes the circuit.

The method of testing the strength of jellies by my improved apparatusis as follows: I prepare a block of jelly in any suitable manner, as,for example, by filling a cup 15 (Fig. 3). This cup I prefer to make inthe shape of a truncated cone having an open top and a removable tightfitting bottom.

After the cup has been filled it is inverted upon the panel beneath thevessel 5 and the cup removed, leaving the block of jelly as shown inFig.2. This operation can easily be accomplished by dipping the cup intohot water for an instant andremoving the bottom. The vessel 5 is thenallowed to descend upon the block, and some easily graduated weight,such as shot, introduced until the block of jelly is compressedsufficiently to allow the vessel to rest upon the tops of the uprights10 and 11 which have previ; ously been adjusted as desired. When thevessel 5 touches these two uprights the electric circuit is closed andthe bell signals to the operator that a previously determined de ree ofcompression has taken place.

- t will be obvious that by proper roportioning of the size and shape oft e cup which forms the mold for the block of jelly and by a suitableadjustment of the uprights It) and 11, measurements of jelly strengthcan be taken according to any desired standard, and the wei ht of thevessel 5 plus the added a eight wiil bear a definite relation to thecomparative jelly strength.

My invention can be embodied in many widely differing forms, the oneshown and described being chosen merely because it is one which I haveactually used with very satisfactory results. I do not wish, however, to

be understood as limiting myself to this precise construction, butdesire to cover broadly the essential features as set forth in theclaims.

Having described my invention, What I claim is:

1. The method of testing jelly, which consists in subjecting a block ofjelly to compression in one direction While it is free to expand inanother direction, and increasing the compression until the dimension ofthe block in the direction of compression is decreased to apredetermined degree.

2. In a elly-testing apparatus the combination of a Weighted carrierhaving a bottom forming a conductor of electricity, vertical guidesforming bearings therefor, vertically adjustable uprights beneath saidcarrier, the said uprights forming the terminals of an electric circuitcontaining an indicating device, the said electric circuit being adaptedto be closed by the contact of said Weight-holding cup with saiduprights.

3. Ina jelly-testing device, the combina- JEROME ALEXANDER.

Witnesses:

NICHOLAS O. McMANUs, PHILIP J. JACOBS.

